More than 5 million people in the United States have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. There are many Alzheimer’s caregiver books to inform those providing the care as experts predict that by 2050, there will be nearly 14 million people living with Alzheimer’s. There are more than 16 million unpaid caretakers that provide about 18.6 billion hours of care. Caregivers are subject to depression, guilt, loneliness, and psychological distress. The quality of their life and health suffer. Family caregivers may have little or no training when it comes to dealing with…
Category: Alzheimer’s
Ten Brain Exercises for Dementia
Dementia is a type of brain disorder that mostly affects older adults. While its causes are still unknown, brain exercises can help keep an older adult sharp and wise. The rate of dementia increases with age, and there are no medical treatments that can cure it completely. In addition to decreased memory capacity, dementia comes with many different issues that include Sundowners Syndrome, delusions, and hallucinations. But, if you do some physical and mental exercises, this could help reduce the symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease, or at least delay or reduce…
Download the SLUMS Alzheimer’s Test in Spanish
Looking for the SLUMS exam in Spanish? Hispanic and Latino Americans are the second-largest ethnic group in the United States. As that population ages, the incidences of Alzheimer’s Disease among the population will increase as well. The SLUMS exam is available to assist in diagnosing the disease within Spanish-speaking populations. We have received a copy of the SLUMS exam in Spanish directly from the Division of Geriatric Medicine at Saint Luis University. If you are unfamiliar with the SLUMS test, or you want to download it in English, go to…
5 Tips for Communicating with Seniors Who Have Dementia
There are various things that you should keep in mind when communicating with seniors who have dementia. Individuals suffering from dementia find it hard to remember things, communicate with others, think clearly, or even to take care of themselves. Complicate that with mood swings and changes in personality or behavior. These challenges can make it hard for you to take care of someone with dementia, and even harder if you don’t know how to communicate with them. We are going to offer 5 tips on how to communicate with seniors…
Do You Need An Elder Care Mediator?
Families don’t always agree on care giving issues for older adults. A trained, impartial, and compassionate adviser may be just what a family needs – before arguments start. Enter elder care mediators, professionals experienced in conflict resolution. Often they’re attorneys, social workers, psychologists, or counselors. Mediators talk family members through difficult situations and misunderstandings, and help brainstorm solutions. As a neutral third party, mediators can advocate for both elderly adults and caregivers when the tough decisions come around. The mediator does not provide advice or “take sides” but facilitates dialogue,…
New Alzheimer’s Data: 2016 Alzheimer’s Facts And Figures Released
The Alzheimer’s Association recently released updated Facts and Figures, with emphasis on the disease’s effect on families and caregivers. The 2016 edition includes a special report of the financial impact of Alzheimer’s on families. Other highlights from the report include: Prevalence More and more Americans – 5.4 million in 2016 – are living with Alzheimer’s disease. By 2050, that number may rise to 13.8 million. Mortality Alzheimer’s is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. 700,000 deaths from Alzheimer’s are projected in 2016. Fatalities from the disease…
New Alzheimer’s Treatment Restores Memory Function
Can ultrasound technology restore memory function in Alzheimer’s patients? Researchers from Australia’s University of Queensland are looking to do just that. The treatment targets neurotoxic amyloid plaques in the brain. Alzheimer’s disease is caused by two kinds of brain lesions – amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. Both lesions attack the neurons in the brain. The research team, from the Queensland Brain Institute, uses a focused therapeutic ultrasound to beam sound waves into the brain tissue. The waves open up the blood-brain barrier. Once the barrier is open, the waves stimulate…
Are Dementia Rates Falling?
Are seniors in the United States developing dementia later and less often? One study’s results say so. The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine on February 11, followed more than 5,000 Americans for 40 years. The participants’ average age of dementia development rose from 80 to 85. They also experienced a 20 percent reduction rate in their risk of developing the condition. Study author Dr. Sudha Seshadri, professor of neurology at Boston University’s Alzheimer’s Disease Center, points out that America still has a large population of dementia…
The Latest Updates on Alzheimer’s Research
Brain Protein May Hold Alzheimer’s Treatment Key New findings by neurological researchers unearthed a brain protein that could offer “a whole different approach to aging” according to lead researcher Dr. Aron Buchman. Seniors with high levels of a gene called brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF, displayed a 50 percent slower loss of memory than those with lower levels. Buchman believes the study’s results mean BDNF may protect against dementia. The study, published this January in the journal Neurology, observed that BDNF’s positive effects lasted despite the “plaques and tangles” in…
Moderate Drinking May Benefit Alzheimer’s Patients
Is moderate drinking the key to a longer life? A new study thinks so. For early stage Alzheimer’s patients, a couple of drinks a day could lower the risk of premature death. Over 320 people in Denmark with early stage Alzheimer’s joined the study. Researchers followed participants for three years. What they noticed was surprising. Participants who had two or three alcoholic drinks per day had a 77 percent lower risk of dying than those who consumed one or fewer alcoholic drinks daily. This reduced risk remained after researchers accounted…
Creating Livable Communities for Aging Residents
By 2030, one in five people will be 65 or older. More than nine-tenths of these seniors want to age in place, with eighty percent believing their current home will be their last, according to a 2011 study by the AARP Public Policy Institute and the National Conference of State Legislatures. With the population of seniors rising, local agencies on aging are working to build livable communities meeting seniors’ needs. What do these communities look like? Neighbors Nearby For older adults who choose to age in place, a sense of…
What Is Sundowning And How Can You Prevent It?
Caregivers for the elderly may notice a change in the patient’s behavior in the late afternoon or early evening, when the sun begins to set. The patient might become confused and irritable, even demanding and suspicious. They’ll do and say things they otherwise wouldn’t. The symptoms may escalate to a state of delirium. This condition is called sundowning, or sundown syndrome. Sundowning doesn’t affect every elderly person, but it’s seen in one in five patients with Alzheimer’s disease. The symptoms usually emerge during the middle stages of Alzheimer’s. Older people…